The Beauty of the Beast
by MissiB
Summary: Scarlet is just an ordinary sixteen year old girl who unwittingly finds herself the object of Envy's obsessions. What could the shape-shifting homunculus possibly want with her? Meanwhile, Envy thinks he's found a ghost from his past, but is everything as it seems? Summery will get less crappy once I think of a better one, I swear! EnvyxOC fic


_**Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to Funimation.**_

The Beauty of the Beast

Chapter 1

_Central Underground, 1754._

Beneath Central City, a man who was not a man stood in a large metal chamber in his infinite lair. In front of him there was a gurney, and upon that laid a young, female body with long red hair, covered up to the neck by a thin blanket. Her eyes were closed, and her chest had yet to rise with breath.

She was Fathers latest creation, a new homunculus. Or she would be once he infused her with a Philosopher Stone.

But there would be time for that. First, he wanted to introduce her to his 'Family'.

Behind him a great groaning sound of metal pushing against stone announced the opening of the chamber doors, and Father heard his oldest son speak as his container walked inside.

"We are here as you requested, Father" said the deceptively young voice "My deepest apologies to have kept you waiting"

Prides apology was followed by a deeper, more masculine snort "Kiss-ass..."

"**What did you call me, you worthless Pack-Rat?!" **Pride growled at Greed in the metallic voice of his true form. Father exhaled wearily and turned around to face his children.

Behind him, his first four creations stood. First, there was Pride, almost two hundred years old and the only homunculus based off of his own original design and who was glaring at Greed with his shadows flickering dangerously around him.

Then there was Lust, his stoic first daughter who stood at the age of eighty had her arms typically crossed beneath the ample chest of a woman more than half her age. She watched her brothers with bored pink eyes, not in the least bit bothered by Prides actions towards the homunculus she stood beside.

His third creation, Greed, stood beside her. Out of all the homunculi he was the most troublesome, and even at the grand old age of forty he still seemed to delight in antagonising his brothers whenever he could. Indeed, he was now _smirking _at Pride, not even raising his gift-given shield to defend himself.

And lastly there was Envy, the youngest at just twenty years old and the official 'Oddball' of their 'Family' what with his queer attire and odd hair, plus his uncanny ability to appear both male and female at the same time. Like Lust, he was uninterested by in Greed and Prides little spat. Instead he was looking around his Father and at the gurney behind him, peering at the body on it with great curiosity.

"Father, what is that?" he asked, pointing at the new creation. Fathers weathered lips pulled up in the barest of smiles. The fact that it was Envy who had been the one to ask that was very promising for his ideals. With one hand, he gestured towards the gurney.

"This, my son, is the reason I have called you all down here today. If you would all like to-PRIDE! Put your brother down at once!"

His eldest son had obviously reached a point of great irritation with Greed because one of his shadows now held him aloft by his ankle so he dangled upside down above the ground whilst three more were aimed towards the vital areas of his body.

All the while, Greed smirked. Lust sighed wearily.

At first, Pride gave Father a look that clearly asked him to reconsider. But when the superior artificial human responded with nothing but sternness, he reluctantly released him, and Greed promptly fell through the air and landed on his head.

"OW! Mother F-!"

"CHILDREN!" Father continued, regretfully having to raise his voice in order to claim their attention once again. Once he did, he turned to the gurney behind him "I would like you all to gather round. A new homunculus has been born"

"Eh? What'd you do that for?" Greed asked, rubbing his sparking head.

However, his question went unanswered, and soon the four homunculi were surrounded the latest addition. Pride was on Fathers right, Lust on his left. Greed stood at the body's feet, and Envy at her head. They all looked at the new homunculus that had yet to rise.

Greed whistled, a wolfish grin appearing a second later "Damn, she's _hot!"_

Envy rolled his eyes "For Gods sakes is that all you think about, you perverted bastard?" Greed responded with a cocky shrug. Envy sneered at him in disgust while Lust smirked.

"What's her name?" Pride asked, which was a little surprising since the first-born wasn't usually interested in his younger siblings, only ever tolerating them because they were useful to the Promised Day. Nonetheless, Father responded.

"Her name is Empathy" he said, and from his robes he took out a small glass syringe. The clear alloy showed a red, liquid-like substance inside. A Philosopher Stone.

"'Empathy?'" Envy repeated, sounding doubtful "We're homunculi. What good is empathy gonna do us?"

Pride bristled instantly "How dare you question our Father, you ignorant slug?"

Envy glowered at the smaller homunculus "Don't tell me you weren't thinking it too, you little puppet!"

"_**YOU DARE-?!"**_

"My children!" goodness, this was ridiculous! His children had barely been in each others company for more than five minutes, and he'd already had to break up two fights! This was not what he had intended for them when he'd first decided to extract his seven sins!

But...maybe, just maybe, his new addition could change the hostility these siblings had toward one another.

"My children, do not fight! Your Father does not wish to see such...immaturity" he was fairly certain he saw Pride blush as the first-born spoke an apology. Envy did not follow suit, but he did not say anymore, which was fortunate for the situation as Father directed his next words to his third son.

"As for your question, Envy, you especially will have plenty of opportunities to find an answer when your new sister is brought to life" he lifted the bodies slender right hand and began to lower the syringe containing the Philosopher Stone towards it. Envy frowned at the way Father had phrased his response.

"Why me especially?" he asked cautiously. And he had a right to be so.

Father looked up at him "Because, my son, I have decided that until Empathy grows into a fully capable homunculus, she will be your responsibility"

"_WHAT?!"_

"HA!" Greed laughed heartily "She'll be dead within a week!"

Father lifted Empathy's hand and pushed the needle into a vein, pressing down on the plunger and forcing the Philosophers Stone into the waiting body. Envy's horrified shriek followed it as the last of the red liquid disappeared.

"Stand back, all of you!" Father warned, and the homunculi followed his command and stepped back several feet as the first of the red sparks started to appear.

The next few minutes were not pleasant. The new creation inhaled her first breath, but it was then followed by a piercing scream as her body was overtaken by the destructive forces of the stone. Audible cracks and snaps could be heard as her bones broke and repaired themselves, and blood spewed from her eyes as her skin tore itself apart and then knitted back together, all of this happening over and over again as the new homunculus screamed and thrashed on the gurney.

The sight of Empathy's progress pleased Father greatly. By now, the body would have normally been destroyed and rendered useless, but still the girl in front of him continued to live as the body continued to fight. The stone hadn't been able to destroy her yet. Good.

With one final tortured wail the young body finally grew limp upon the hard metal surface. Her crimson stained arms hung over the sides and the thin sheet that had been covering her had been lost with all her thrashing. Blood covered her face and her eyes were still closed. She was so still she could've been mistaken for a corpse. But her chest rose and fell with breath, and small whimpers could be heard from her lips. She lived.

A great rush of excitement filled Father at this moment, as it always did when he was successful in one of his experiments. The aged homunculus smiled thinly and approached the gurney, encouraging his children to do the same.

Empathy had yet to open her eyes as they came closer, most likely she was adjusting to her new body. Father leaned over his new daughter, and spoke with a rare, almost unheard of, gentleness.

"Rise, young one. Your new life as a homunculus is about to begin"

And Empathy's eyes shot open. They were the same glittering violet as that of her brothers, and they moved around the room at an accelerated rate, as if trying to see everything that was so terrifyingly unfamiliar to her. Not understanding where she was or what these strange faces were, Empathy curled in on herself as she laid on the gurney, hiding herself from watching eyes.

Envy's lip curved in disgust "You're honestly going to lump me with _this?!" _he thrust a hand out towards his new sister and she cowered away from it as though it were a viscous viper. Father looked at Envy calculatingly, feeling a flicker of irritation at his fourth child.

"Yes. I am" he said, in a tone that left no room for argument. Envy took the hint and shut-up.

Father then sighed and put a hand on his new creations bare shoulder. Empathy whimpered at the contact, and as Father coaxed her to sit up she brought her arms over her chest to cover herself, trembling in fear all the while.

"Envy, I expect you to take care of your new sister, as Lust did for you when you were first created" Father instructed, and Envy groaned miserably as Lust sent him a superior smirk "You will educate her in our ways. You will teach her to fight, help her grow into a pawn worthy of our cause" the aged homunculus thought for a moment, and then added with a sterner tone: "And by all means, _you cannot Kill Her! _Do I make myself clear?"

It was obvious that Envy was not pleased. You could tell that from the sneer his face got every time his gaze fell upon the cringing creation.

However, every one of the homunculi knew that Fathers word was law. Torefuse any order would be as good as suicide. Envy appeared to consider this as his face twisted into an expression of overwhelming reluctance, and he stiffly bowed in submission.

"...Perfectly, Father" he forced out.

"Good" Father responded. He then looked down at his new creation, who was now attempting to hide behind her long red hair as it fell past her waist and trailed on the gurney. She would be the fifth homunculus. A creature born of his extracted empathy, or what little he'd had of it.

This small, frightened child in his arms...he wondered what a few centuries fighting for him would make of her.

Lifting his head, Father addressed the rest of his children, all of whom were watching him as he gripped the shoulder of his latest addition, like a proud scientist presenting it's latest experiment.

"My children, I would like you to introduce your newest sister, and what will be a useful pawn in the progression to the Promised Day: Her name will be, Empathy the Perceptive"

FMAB

_Central City, 1914_

_Oh, it just HAD to rain tonight, didn't it?!_

Black storm clouds covered the normally navy evening skies as heavy rain threatened to drown the largest city in Amestris. Amidst the atrocious weather, a teenage girl hurtled through the rain, dressed in simple black jeans and a grey hoodie, a brown leather bag bouncing on her back, all soaked to the bone by now.

The girls name was Scarlet, and as she sprinted down the streets her worn out trainers squelched uncomfortably from all the puddles she'd splashed through. She knew she needed knew ones, but cash for that sort of thing was hard to come by when you were a flat-broke drifter.

_Shelter...if I can just find a place to stay tonight then I can dry off and sleep! _She thought, standing still on the pavement and looking for anywhere that resembled a motel or a hotel or a carboard box or _somerthing!_ Unfortunately, it didn't look like Scarlet would be spoiled for choice.

All day she had been looking for somewhere to crash, but anywhere that was within her price range was either booked up, or _'Unwilling to except raggedy little drifters who looked like they'd crawled right out of a dustbin!',_ as one charming hotel manager with a stupid moustache had so eloquently put it.

"Damn that guy!" Scarlet mumbled irately as a crackle of lightning went off over her head. The snotty-nosed asshole wouldn't even look at her as she'd tried to plead her case!

"Although he might not have even been able to see me past giant nose of his!" she smirked with vindictive pleasure, remembering how the mans bulbous, bright red facial appendage had taken up 80% of his face. What made it better was the glasses he'd worn, they had been bright green and made his nose look like a damn tomato!

"Someone should've cut that thing off and put it in a salad. Asshole!" Scarlet cursed as she dipped under a nearby diner doorway, momentarily freeing herself from the harsh storm and shivering underneath her damp clothes.

_Jeeze, you would think I'd be used to this kind of thing by now! _Having been a drifter for over a year, Scarlet had had more than her fair share of bad weather. Once, she'd made the mistake of travelling to the North of Amestris during the winter and...well, let's just say that it was not an experience she would care to repeat...

Not like when she'd been staying in the East, where there had been nothing but sunshine every day. Aaah, the East, she had to go back there one day...

As another shiver overtook her from beneath her sticky, damp clothes, Scarlet noticed there was a large quantity of red in her light blue eyes and huffed in annoyance. Unwrapping an arm from her torso she pulled back her dripping hood and allowed her long, flowing red hair to shake itself out to the middle of her waist.

Unlike most red-heads, Scarlets hair was not carrot orange or even the deep literal red that most seemed to admire. Her hair was a thick, deep orange, the colour of tangerines. It might not be beautiful, but who cared about outer beauty anyway? Scarlet cared more about what was on the inside rather than the wrapper it wore.

Grabbing the chunk of hair that had managed to wriggle free she wrapped the whole thing into a thick knot on the back of her head and then shoved it back into her soaking hood. She couldn't help but flinch as the wet material touched her face, but what could ya do?

"Stupid Central weather..." she scowled, still fiddling with her soaking wet hood and unaware of the large shadow that was growing in the window behind her.

"HEY!"

"WAH!" Scarlet let out a high pitched yelp as a very big man suddenly pounded on the glass door behind her from inside the diner. He was huge, and looking down at Scarlet like she was some washed-up river rat.

"There's no loitering outside my shop, Missy!" the man barked, and suddenly a very big, very intimidating fist slammed against the glass "Push off out!"

Scarlet whined, and looked out into the weather behind her. _Oh God, really?_

The teenager considered turning around and pleading with the guy, maybe even offering what little money she had left in her wallet to buy a couple of hours inside the diner but she doubted it would work. One look at this guy and she knew he wouldn't give her so much as the time of day let alone shelter from a storm. Men like him, she reflected, would rather let a kid freeze to death than do anything that might drag down their business.

But that didn't stop her from trying!

"Oh, come on!" Scarlet protested. She looked back out into the roaring storm and felt a little piece of herself die "It's pouring out here! Can't you just give me at least five more minutes?"

The man glared at her "No! I don't want some skanky little tramp dragging down my business!"

_Yep, right on the money. _Scarlets eyes widened as a massive meat cleaver suddenly appeared in the fat guys hand "GET OUTTA HERE!"

She got outta there.

"Son of a bitch, what the hell was his problem?!" Scarlet hissed under her breath as she sprinted through the soaking wet streets. She had only been stood under that doorway for five minutes but that had been enough time for the storm to get even worse. Rain threw itself into Scarlets pale face and drops of water hit her body like bullets. As she ran she splashed into so many rising puddles that her jeans were more water than fabric.

Dammit, if she didn't find shelter soon she was going to catch pneumonia! Assuming she didn't _drown_ first!

Scarlet tore through the streets, her head down and her arms wrapped around her torso, her bag bouncing on her back, _Jesus, tonight just isn't my-_

_SLAM!_

She was knocked off her feet when she slammed into something small and hard. Her legs gave out from under her and before she knew it she was flat on her ass in a puddle that was six inches deep. Son of a bitch!

"HEY ASSHOLE! You wanna watch where the hell you're going?!" she screamed furiously at her unknown assailant.

"ME?!" the guy-she guessed it was a guy from the sound of his voice. The rain didn't leave much viewing room-roared back "You were the one who came barreling down the road at 200 miles an hour! Why don't you watch where _you're _going?!"

Scarlet glared at the guy through a veil of her hair. Upon impact her hood had fallen down, causing deep orange locks to spiral out and into the waiting downpour. Already, it began to flatten itself against her head. Great, it looked like she was going to catch pnumonia after all.

Taking her focus off her hair, she examined the guy in front of her. He looked young, maybe a year younger than she was, and had golden eyes and long blonde hair that was tied back in a braid. He wore a long red coat with a hem that reached the calves of his black leather pants, though it had been soaked into maroon by the rain.

The kid, whoever he might've been, was also small, but going by the way he held himself Scarlet guessed he was a proud little guy, and something in the back of her mind told her that this kid was the type who got mad easy. Or maybe it was just the really pissed off look.

Under normal circumstances, Scarlet would've been happy to argue with the shrimp until he ran off with his tail between his small little legs, but right now she was cold, she was wet and she was tired. She was in no mood to get into a fight today.

So instead of snapping back at the kid, Scarlet swallowed her pride, sighed heavily, and held out a hand.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Look, the least you can do is help me up!" she shouted over the ever-growing rain storm "You _did _knock me on my ass!"

"...Yeah, sure" the kid rolled his eyes at her and reached out to grab her hand. As soon as the glove wrapped around her skin she was hoisted onto her feet by surprising strength.

"Thank-you!" Scarlet yelled, and the kid nodded back.

"You're welcome!"

Scarlet then started to take her leave, but the kid spoke again. The rain drowned out most of what he said the first time round so she had to make him repeat himself.

"Whadja say?!"

"I said you were running pretty fast!" the blonde yelled loudly "Is there somewhere you need to be or are you running from someone?"

The sudden concern on his face was surprising. Scarlet blinked, and then smiled slightly. One second this kid was yelling at her, the next he was trying to help her out? She had to admit, it was sweet. She shook her hair-plastered head, wondering briefly when the hell this rain was going to stop.

"Neither! I just hate the rain!"

"Oh right! So you're running home, then?" he guessed, relief entering his expression.

Scarlet grinned "Maybe! I'll have to decide when I find a place!"

Just like that, the relief was gone, and in an instant the kid had a look of concern on his face that was, in her opinion, way too mature for his age. It spoke of compassion, heroism, a desire to protect, and Scarlet wondered just what the hell this kid, who was hardly older than her, had gone through to get such a look?

_It must have really been something..._

"Wait, so you're telling me you don't have anywhere to stay tonight?!" a bolt of lightning pierced the sky and Scarlet shrugged her soaked shoulders.

"Nope! But don't worry about it, that's normal for me!"

It was true. Indeed, there had been many a night where Scarlet had had to sleep on the occasional park bench, though luckily for her when this happened the weather wasn't usually so bad. When Winter hit she tried to make sure she had enough cash to book a couple of motels for the miserable season, but on some unlucky days she would end up sleeping in a nearby public restroom to escape the cold.

The kid looked horrified at her situation, and she couldn't help but smirk just a little. If she had a cen for every time she'd seen that face...

"Well, thanks for helping me up! I'll see you!" she gave a small wave of farewell, but as she started to walk away the kid blocked her path.

"Wait a second! You can't just spend a night out in the rain, you'll freeze to death!" the kid exclaimed "Isn't there a...a. motel you could sleep in, or friends you could stay with or something?"

Scarlet barked a laugh. Yep, definite hero complex! "Listen kid, I'm new in town so I don't have that many friends! Plus, all the motels are booked up!" she said, but felt a pang of guilt as the blondes concern only grew worse on his face.

What was he doing? He shouldn't be worrying about a complete stranger like her "Hey, it's O.k! I've done this a thousand times, I'll be fine!" she smiled at him gently, and gave him a gentle shove on his shoulder "Go home! Don't worry about me!"

For the third time she started to walk past him, but damn if this kid wasn't persistent! She was stopped when a maroon-covered arm blocked her path, and Scarlet stiffened instantly. Just what did he think he was doing?

"Listen" the kid sighed, looking at her with those big golden eyes of his "Why don't you just...come with me?"

Scarlet stared at him. _Huh?_

"You can dry your clothes, have something to eat, you can even stay the night if you want" he continue a little awkwardly as he watched for Scarlets reaction. Needless to say, she was hesitant. It wasn't the first time she'd received an offer like this.

But, it was the first time she didn't immediately feel alarmed by it. That little instinct Scarlet had about people had gotten her out of a lot of sticky situations (like the guys who offered to let her stay at place...yeah, those alarm bells had been deafening!)

However, right now her instincts were giving her no such warning. This kid was sincere. But what right did she have to intrude on him?

So, she shook her head "No! I couldn't ask you to-"

"You didn't ask, I offered!" the boy interrupted, and his arm fell out of her path "Look, it's just for one night! Then tomorrow you can go your own way and, we never have to see each other again!" he promised, and he shuddered as a drop of rain rolled underneath his clothes.

Scarlet started to waver. Oh, the offer was tempting! A warm bed, dry clothes, and she really didn't fancy being stuck in this mess all night. Crap...what to do? What to do?

"...Do you have a hot shower?"

The boy grinned, and suddenly all the maturity Scarlet had seen early vanished in the blink of an eye. It made the kid look like...well...a kid! Geeze, that was scary.

"Yeah! Yeah, we do!" he said, and Scarlet sighed in defeat, brushing her long wet hair out of her eyes. She smiled softly.

"O.k! But just for one night!" she stated, lifting one finger. The boy nodded.

"Done! Now lets get the hell out of this rain!"

"_Agreed!"_

The blonde led the way and together the two began to rush towards wherever his home was. Thunder boomed above them and the wind howled in the rain. It was so loud that Scarlet had to repeat herself several times at different volumes before he could hear what she was asking him.

"HEY! What's your name?!" she yelled as they jogged, and he yelled back to her:

"Edward Elric! What's yours?"

"Scarlet!"

"...Don't you have a last name?"

Scarlet shook her head. Every time she introduced herself the issue with her last name came up. Some people assumed she was just secretive and didn't press any further, while those who were not so discreet would ask her and hear her story, and inevitably end up pitying her. She had a strong feeling this kid-uh, Edward-would be the same.

Her suspicions were proved right as the blonde opened his mouth, but Scarlet cut him off before he could start his prodding.

"Edward, I'd love to tell you my life story, I really would, but hows about we get out of this rain first, huh?"

She watched Edward as he seemed to consider her words. It didn't take him long to agree "Yeah! You're right!" he yelled, and as another fork of white-hot lightning cracked across the sky overhead, the two raced on into the storm ridden night.

_**Hello FMA fanfiction readers! This is my new fanfiction in honor of it being my Two Year Anniversary on FanFiction :D I hope you liked the first chapter of my EnvyxOC fic and will drop a review. Criticisms are welcome. Flames will be introduced with my super-giant power hose.**_

_**Until next time, my darlings! **_


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